Of Muffins and Melted Chocolate
by King-Queen-and-Ace
Summary: Lazy days before Christmas are perfect for baking muffins, and reminiscing about the past. For the Buckynat Secret Santa.


**Hi! Belated merry christmas and happy new year! This is my secret santa gift to scarletswtch.**

 **These were their three prompts:**

· **clandestine sneaky meet up at night in the time of the red room. just really cute and cuddly, something like bucky cupping nat's face affectionately.**

· **messy baking because they both like chocolate muffins wherein they both have their hair in buns and nat just smeared some frosting on bucky's face or something.**

· **lazy day.**

 **I hope you enjoy it!**

The apartment was filled with decoration; baubles, tinsel, and Christmas lights sparkled with bright colours. A black cat slept contently next to a pile of presents, which lay under a gaudily adorned tree. Pure, white snow was piled against the window. A playlist of carefully chosen Christmas songs gently played in the background. The apartment had the scent of cinnamon and spices.

However, all of this was ignored by the occupants of the apartment, a man with a metal arm, and a certain red-haired assassin.

"Are you sure we put in the right amount?" Bucky asked looking dubiously at the mixture in the bowl.

"Yes I'm sure, the recipe said to put 100g of chocolate chips." Natasha replied scanning over said recipe.

"But Nat," Bucky whined, "It doesn't look chocolaty enough."

"For a damn super soldier you eat too unhealthy." Natasha said poking him in the stomach with the handle of a spoon.

Bucky gave her his puppy eyes and she sighed, before passing him the bag of chocolate chips. He gave a grin, and poured the remaining chocolate into the bowl.

Natasha rolled her eyes, and blew an escaped strand of hair from her bun out of her face, before spooning the mixture into a muffin tray. Bucky watched her, a love-struck smile on his face. He loved days like this, lazy days, days where he had Natasha all to himself.

"Lover boy? You with me?" an amused Natasha waved her hand in front of his face.

He grinned, "Yeah, is it time for them to bake?"

She nodded in affirmation and grinning like a fool, Bucky put the muffins in the oven.

As soon as he pulled he oven mitts off ("It's health and safety Bucky, you need to wear them!" "Stop telling me what to do Steve!"), Natasha hugged him from behind, and rested her head on his back. He placed his hands on her own, clasped on his chest. She gently inhaled his clean scent.

He led them to their couch, where Natasha snuggled into his chest, enjoying the warm, precious moment, in a time where their lives were filled with chaos.

As they sat there, the redhead remembered a time, long ago, filled with secrecy, filled with sorrow, filled with love and fear. A time of red walls, of pirouettes, of guns and blades, of smoke and fire.

 _The snow fell heavily around the young woman, as she darted between guards and walls. Her green eyes were bright with fear for him, for them, and hope of seeing him, of their love._

 _She heard a sound, and whipped around, stance ready to fight, holding her breath._

" _Natalia."_

 _The tension drained out of her, as soon as she heard the voice._

" _Milii moi."_

 _They said nothing else, as there was nothing else to say. No declarations of love (love is for children), no dreams of the future (nothing lasts forever), no proclamations of how they would fight a war for each other (they were spies not soldiers). The less said the better (it may be a tough way to live, but it's a good way not to die)._

 _She inhaled deeply, as he raised his arm, his flesh and blood arm, and cupped her face, as though it was a delicate piece of china that could easily brake. His blue eyes searched her face, memorising every line and every curve, every moment of their precious time. Her green eyes fluttered close, as he gave her a pure kiss filled with love that would end in tragedy._

"What are you thinking about Nat?" Bucky murmured, stroking her hair.

"Old memories." She brushed off.

"What like that time you snuck in my room, with chocolate and vodka from your last mission, on Christmas Eve, and it got everywhere?"

Natasha grinned, "It even got stuck in between your metal arm."

"That was _your_ fault!"

"I'm not the one who put _melted chocolate_ in between the plates you _idiot_!"

The timer beeped, interrupting them. Natasha narrowed her eyes at Bucky, as they stood up to take the muffins out.

Bucky inhaled, as he brought the muffins to the table to decorate, "Fuck, these smell good."

Natasha brought over frosting and sprinkles, "Okay, Barnes start decorating, Cap's Squad is coming soon."

The affectionately named Cap's Sqaud consisted of Steve, Sam, Sharon, Clint, and Wanda. ("Steve we're not calling ourselves Team Liberty!").

Bucky beamed and poked his female companion, "Tasha, Tasha look, I made Sam!" The muffin vaguely resembled a monster with the Falcon's wings.

She blinked, and gave a hesitant smile. Her own muffin was more festive and had a Christmas tree.

They continued to decorate, both in intense concentration, Natasha with festive designs, Bucky with recreations of Cap's Squad.

As Natasha finished decorating her last muffin, she had an idea.

She dipped a finger in the frosting, and swiped it on Bucky's nose, smirking.

Bucky blinked, taking time to absorb what had just happened, before dipping his own finger in the frosting and smearing it on her cheek.

And so began an epic food fight, rivalling the food war Bucky had with Sam and Steve.

Frosting was everywhere, sprinkles flew around the kitchen, and flour was powdered on every surface. Natasha and Bucky dodged and weaved around the kitchen throwing nearly everything they could get their hands. Liho peaked around the door woken up by the commotion, mewing disdainfully at his owners.

Around fifteen minutes in Bucky called a truce, only because he was backed in a corner. Natasha considered throwing the food projectiles anyway, but decided against it, more mess would be created.

She helped him up, and they breathed heavily, wide grins on their faces.

As they stood there, surveying the damage to the kitchen, Bucky remembered that Cap's Squad would soon be round. Swearing, Bucky turned to Natasha, whose wide eyes conveyed that she had the same thought as him, and they immediately leapt into action, cleaning the destruction.

Forty-five minutes later, both were dressed in Christmas jumpers, greeting their friends with a smile, and were leading them past an immaculate kitchen.

Their friends enjoyed enjoyed themselves, joking and laughing, drinks in their hands, and they all loved the muffins (Sam frowned as he looked over Bucky's, narrowing his eyes when he saw a muffin with a sort-of face that appeared to have wings that seemed to have been influenced by Sam's own mission suit).

At the end of the night, as Natasha lay in Bucky's arms, the duo's legs tangled together, Natasha muttered,

"You know, it really wasn't my fault, you were the one who, I quote, said, _"Natalia, my arm isn't moving properly, maybe chocolate will grease it up"_ when you were drunk on vodka."

"Shut up Tasha."


End file.
